The UK government continued its dreary performance in heading for net zero emissions by 2050. This week it handed out £166.5 million to a variety of R&D groups, chasing the usually hopeless phantoms – the largest for hydrogen (£60m) Direct Air Capture (£37.5m); Carbon Capture (£20m), and Industrial De-carbonization Research and Innovation Centre (£20m), and funding for £16.5m worth of industrial transformations including pone projects for London Sugar. That left a few million pounds over for a project or two on repurposing waste, stuff for the ceramics industry and for the creation of a University hub on how to transform. The statement also said it would convene on Wednesday a newly formed Net Zero Expert Group chaired by Business and…